The Lines Are Drawn xx Going Grey 6
by Kiristeen
Summary: After kidnapping Draco - for his own protection - Harry finds himself having to juggle the secrets he holds, while solidifying old relationships and creating new ones. Not to mention, he discovers that breaking away from the authority figures in his life isn't as easy as he might like. No Pairing


**This is episode six** of the 'Going Grey' Series. It won't make a lot of sense - or may seem OOC - if you don't read the first five episodes.  
**Additionally:** I just uploaded the final chapter in episode five "It's All About Perspective" on 9/15/2013. If you missed it, you may want to read that first. : )

**Summary:** After kidnapping Draco - for his own protection - Harry finds himself having to juggle the secrets he holds, while solidifying old relationships and creating new ones. Not to mention he discovers that breaking away from the authority figures in his life isn't as easy as he might like.

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The Lines Are Drawn  
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Chapter One  
Episode Six  
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Draco woke suddenly and completely, shuddering from the obvious, not to mention disorienting, after-effects of an enervate.

_What?_

It took less than a second to remember what had caused him to need a reviving spell and he bolted upright, instantly reaching for his wand, his _missing_ wand.

"You're safe, Draco."

He recognized that voice! Eyes wide, relief fueled rage instantly replacing the terror he had woke to, he spun around to face Harry Bloody Potter. "What's the meaning of this?" he snarled. "Where's my wand?"

The shrug and the sheepish half-grin on the prat's face did absolutely nothing to cool his temper.

"Welcome to being a kidnap victim, Draco," Potter replied, tossing him his wand.

"What?" he asked, confused, grabbing his wand from the air automatically.

"This is Potter manor, and you'll be my guest here for the duration of the holidays."

Draco blinked as incredulity rushed in and overwhelmed the rage. "_This_ was your plan?" he yelped. "The one I couldn't know about until today? A plan to-" He raised one finger. "Make me think death eaters had come to kill me." He raised a second finger. "Hex me." He raised a third finger. "Then, kidnap me."

Potter flinched. "I hadn't thought of the death eater angle," he admitted, "but, essentially . . . yes."

"And I couldn't know about this ahead of time, why?" he demanded, anger creeping back in.

"Because, for a Slytherin, you can't lie worth a damn."

"I'll have you know, I am excellent at it!" Draco snapped.

Potter grabbed his arm and mimicked a look of pain. "Oh! It got me! I'm dying!"

Draco could feel the blush starting. "I was _13_!" he snapped.

"We couldn't take the chance that your kidnapping wouldn't be believed," Potter informed him, shaking his head. "Who knows what people would make of it then."

"What made you think it was a good idea not to tell me? You had no right!" Well, legally, Draco supposed he did, but that was entirely beside the point. "I am not a child to have his life decided for him!"

Potter flinched a second time, the prat's eyes widening in apparent, sudden epiphany - an unpleasant one at that. What Draco didn't understand was what - exactly - had caused it this time.

"I am sorry it looks that way," Potter began.

_Looks that way? Try_ is _that way._

"I have no intention of planning your life for you. I can promise you that! This was a one time deal based on sound advice."

Draco snorted, frustrated at the non-answer. "Whose 'sound advice'?" he sneered, then panicked, the feeling pushing aside the immediacy of his anger. "And just how am I supposed to miraculously escape in order to return to school after Yule break?" he demanded, folding his arms defensively across his chest.

"You're not," Potter replied flatly, all too conveniently bypassing Draco's first question; something he noted, but let pass for now, since Potter's answer infuriated him.

"If you bloody well think I'm not finishing school," Draco ground out angrily, "you can just think again!" He just hoped Potter wouldn't push the issue, since the Gryffindor actually _could_ keep him from going back.

"Oh, you're going back," Potter retorted, "one way or the other. You're just not going to escape."

"What do you mean, 'one way or the other', Potter?" Draco asked warily, not liking the prat's phrasing one bit. It sent shivers of foreboding down his spine.

"I don't have a lot of time to explain right now, Draco. I have to get back before anyone notices I'm gone."

"_Potter_," Draco growled, frustrated . . . again.

"We're going to ransom you," he said flatly.

Draco reared back in absolute shock, Potter's flat explanation taking time to actually register. "You have _got_ to be kidding me!"

"Listen, I really don't have time now. I'll explain more fully, as soon as I can come back."

"You're leaving me here _alone_!?" Draco yelped, thoroughly distracted at the prospect.

"I have to," Potter replied shortly. "In the meantime, Marli here will make sure you're taken care of." With that, and a nod to the house elf, the two of them disappeared, leaving him alone.

Draco let out an incoherent yell, wanting to throw the mother of all tantrums. After a couple seconds spent in an attempt to remain reasonably mature, he did just that. He _even_ stomped his feet. Surprisingly, it felt incredibly good to just give in and let it all out. The moment he was finished, however, he was immensely glad he was alone. No one had seen his breakdown. Despite the blush he could feel starting, he couldn't quite bring himself to truly regret his actions. While, still arsed at Potter, the childish outburst had left him in a bit better mood than he had been in before.

Before he could truly dwell on the thought, he was thoroughly distracted by the house elf's abrupt return to the room.

"Yous will be following me," it ordered, before swiftly departing the room - this time nonmagically.

Draco stared in shocked indignation after the retreating house elf, his mouth dropping open. How _dare_ it _order_ him around! A second later, he was striding after it, fully intending on giving the wretched creature a piece of his mind.

x-x-x

Harry stumbled out of the alcove Marli had brought them back to, but quickly regained his balance. Apparently, he didn't travel via house elf any better than he did any other magical form of transportation.

"Thank-you, Marli," he said quietly, turning to face her.

"It's being my pleasure, Master Harry, Sir," Marli replied brightly, grinning broadly.

"Don't let Draco bother you too much," he continued. "And he is not allowed to punish you, or to order you to punish yourself. If there are any problems, we can straighten them out when I get back."

She nodded enthusiastically. "I's be understanding, Master Harry, Sir," she replied before disappearing with a snap of her fingers.

Before he had much of a chance to look around, Luna appeared out from under his invisibility cloak.

"Everything go alright here?" he asked quickly, accepting the cloak as she held it out to him.

"Yes, Harry," she replied with a nod. "The crumplegarvees didn't manage to wrinkle the plan."

Harry blinked in surprise, and for half a second actually considered asking. But there wasn't time for those questions now. "Let's get out there," he said instead. "I need to know what's going on."

Luna nodded and they quickly headed outside, Harry stowing his cloak as they moved. He really didn't want anyone to question why he had it out. He knew he was definitely being paranoid now, and knew his friends didn't really understand his reasoning, but with his normal luck, he wasn't about to take the chance any one thing would be what allowed Lucius Malfoy to focus that famed Slytherin cunning his direction. Frankly, he wouldn't put it past the man to figure it all out with the barest of evidence.

By the time they got back out to the 'scene of the crime', the professors were gathered and already investigating, carefully casting spells that Harry had never heard before. A thrill of fear slithered down his spin, making him shift nervously as he watched. Most of the students stayed well back, but Harry didn't pay them much mind. He was too busy panicking. Were they going to be able to figure out what had really happened? Heart in his throat, Harry slipped even closer until he could hear what was being said. Just as he got close enough, the headmaster sighed, slowly lowering his wand arm.

"Well, that's that," he said quietly. "We're not going to be able to trace them."

_He's giving up_ that _easily?_ Harry thought in shock, feeling a nauseating mess of indignation, betrayal, and relief.

Professor McGonagall let out a frustrated sound, partially relieving Harry of the need to do the same. "Surely, there is _something_ else we can do," she protested angrily. "Port keys _are_ traceable, Albus!"

_They are?!_

"We simply have to counter whatever charm they used to cover their trace."

"What would you suggest, Minerva?" the headmaster asked. "We have all exhausted our combined repertoire of spells."

Stepping closer to the headmaster, Professor McGonagall lowered her voice and Harry barely heard her next words. "Perhaps we should get some of the old crowd," she suggested. "Surely Alastor or Kingsley know trace detection spells we don't."

Harry cast an anxious - hopefully covert - glance toward Snape, hoping the man had been doing his Slytherin best to misdirect things. _Harry_ hadn't even realized there was a chance of the port key _being_ traced. Of course, the destination, itself, was under fidelius, but even if they only figured out the general area, that was one step closer to them figuring it all out. That was something none of them could afford.

_Breathe!_ he told himself sternly. _They're going to get suspicious if you start turning blue!_

"That would be a waste of time, Minerva," the headmaster informed her.

She looked about to protest again, but the headmaster continued before she could.

"There were no spells cast to cover their departure."

As Professor McGonagall _did_ protest that statement, Harry stole another glance at Snape. The man looked mostly impassive, his expression very . . . bland. Too bland. His eyes, however, gave him away. Professor Snape was _not_ happy.

_Either that, or he's the best bloody actor I've ever seen!_

"We would find _some_ identifying traces, if that were the case, Albus! You're not making any sense."

"The spells we cast would have at least uncovered evidence of the presence of masking spells," Professor Snape informed her shortly, "had they actually been used."

"Then why can't we trace the port key?" she demanded angrily. "I know we arrived quickly enough."

"You are aware, of course, of the existence of the old family head and heir rings?"

McGonagall nodded impatiently, her lips pressed into a thin line. "Of course," she replied.

"What isn't generally known about them - outside the families that possess them - is the . . . special features that are attached to the permanent port key magic in them."

Harry stopped breathing again. Only this time, he didn't think he was going to be able to start again any time soon. They knew it was a ring key!

"They are completely untraceable."

"Impossible!" McGonagall scoffed. "Everything leaves a trace, for a least a short while."

He was _so_ caught. He was going to be expelled! Draco was probably going to be _killed_! His throat closing off, Harry fought against the urgent need to cry. Snape had been right. He should have let someone else protect Draco. He was useless! No. He was _worse_ than useless!

"On the contrary, Minerva. It is simply ancient and forgotten magic. The knowledge of how to do it was hoarded by a single family, a family that died out over 300 years ago, taking their knowledge with them."

Minerva slumped, but Harry was too panicked to feel much sympathy.

"Perhaps, instead of standing here _debating_ useless bits of historical trivia," Snape bit out, "we should be contacting Malfoy Sr. about the fact that his _son_ has been taken."

Harry was beyond shocked when the headmaster waved him off. "I'm sure Lucius Malfoy is already aware of the circumstances," he said lightly.

_What?! How?_

"What in Merlin's name are you babbling about, Albus?" Snape growled.

Instead of answering, the headmaster turned toward McGonagall. "Minerva, perhaps you should see that the children all get into the carriages."

"What?" she asked, frowning tightly.

"We can't have them missing the train home, can we?"

"Albus," McGonagall snapped, "now is not the-"

"The children, Minerva," the headmaster repeated.

Looking as sour as Harry had ever seen the uptight witch, McGonagall turned and stalked away. "Very well, Albus," she hissed, "but we _will_ be speaking of this later."

Harry was pretty sure the headmaster hadn't heard her, but was too worried about what the old man suspected to give it much thought.

"Why would Lucius already know?" Snape sneered angrily, his expression oddly wary. "He wasn't exactly here to witness the event."

Harry frowned. Snape clearly thought he knew where the headmaster was headed and didn't like it. Unfortunately, Harry was lost.

"Isn't it obvious, Severus," the headmaster asked, sighing, shoulders slumping slightly.

Harry couldn't recall a single other time the wizard had looked so . . . disappointed.

"Obviously _not_," Snape sneered.

Sighing a second time, the headmaster shook his head. "Lucius Malfoy has obviously concocted this scheme, in order to remove his son from the school surreptitiously."

_Not very 'surreptitious', if you ask me,_ Harry thought sourly. They'd planned this to be as public as possible. How else would it be 'obvious' they hadn't been involved? Being in a large audience watching it happen was just about the best alibi Harry could think of.

"And just what do you believe that would gain the man?" Snape snapped.

"Also obvious, Severus. If he had been as subtle as he had hoped to be, we would not believe young Mr. Malfoy to be with him."

Harry couldn't remain silent any longer. He now knew what the old coot was thinking and he didn't like it any better than Snape did. "So you're just going to do _nothing_?" he exclaimed, outraged on Draco's behalf. Even if Lucius _had_ done it; Draco didn't want to be marked!

"Mind your own business, Potter!" Snape snarled. "You're supposed to be getting in a carriage."

Harry ignored him, intent on the old man's response.

"There is nothing I _can_ do, Harry."

"That's outrageous!" he protested, despite himself.

_Shut up, idiot!_ he scolded himself. _You don't _want _the headmaster investigating too closely!_ But something inside was deeply offended and he just couldn't let it go.

"Like you care!"

"Of course I care!" Harry snapped, rounding on Snape. "We can't allow a student, _any_ student to be snatched from school grounds without some kind of reprisal. Hogwarts is suppose to be _safe_!"

"Calm down, Harry," the headmaster chastised lightly. "I can do nothing about Lucius Malfoy taking his own son, even if his method leaves a lot to be desired . . . no matter my personal opinions on the matter."

"You can't _possibly_ know he was the one," Harry argued, "not for sure. You said, yourself, that you couldn't trace them!" He really wished Snape would say something. He could not only use the support, but he suspected he was digging himself a hole from which he would never escape. Unfortunately, the professor was standing motionlessly, arms across his chest, expression back to being very, very blank.

"I can, Harry," the headmaster countered firmly, beginning to look a little exasperated. "There is simply no one else would could have done it, not in the manner it was accomplished."

Harry made to protest yet again, but the headmaster raised his hand. "Enough, Harry," he said sharply. "I realize we have been having our differences, but this is just one of those times that you are going to have to trust my judgement, trust that - having lived in it for over a century - there are things I know about wizarding society that you do not. No one but Lucius Malfoy would have done this."

_Fat lot you know!_ Harry thought sullenly, knowing it sounded childish even as he thought it, but not really caring. It wasn't like he'd actually said it out loud, after all.

"I suggest you join your classmates now. You're holding everyone up."

"Yes, Sir," Harry replied tightly, turning away without another word. He didn't dare say anything else. He was too angry. He didn't hurry away, however. He wanted to hear as much of the continuing conversation between the headmaster and Snape as he could get away with.

"I _trust_, Albus, you won't object if I contact Lucius personally regarding this."

"Of course not, Severus," the headmaster replied easily. "It would be expected of you in any case."

Harry was almost out of earshot before he heard the headmaster speak again.

"But, Severus?"

"Yes?"

Harry flinched at the short, angry tone, despite the fact that it wasn't directed at him.

"Don't be too disappointed when you find out I am right."

Harry did hurry then. He could almost _hear_ Snape's jaw clenching, his teeth grinding, and he didn't want to be around if the man finally exploded. Breathing a sigh of relief when he safely reached the closest carriage, Harry quickly opened the door and stepped up inside.

The moment he sat down, however, he wished he'd gone to the next one in line. Neville was watching him with a narrow, expectant stare and _Luna_ seemed to be vacillating between curiosity and disappointment.

"Oh! Um. I suppose you want an explanation, then?"

"That would be a good idea, Harry," Neville replied evenly. "I do trust you," he continued, "but even you've got to admit that this looks a little . . . off."

Wincing, Harry nodded. "I imagine it does," he replied. "It really isn't what it looks like," he continued, then paused, frowning in consternation. "Well, technically speaking, it is, sort of, but really, it's something completely different than-"

"Harry," Ginny interrupted, sounding irritatingly amused.

"What?" he growled.

That just made her grin more broadly. "You're babbling," she told him, eyes dancing. "Just thought you should know.

Harry gaped at her, but after a moment, couldn't help but chuckle. He shook his head and forged forward. "The problem is, to truly explain just what happened, I would have to reveal secrets that aren't mine to reveal."

"That does help, Harry," Neville said softly.

Luna nodded, her expression losing the 'disappointed' aspect - or so it seemed to Harry.

"I'd still like to know what's going on, though," Neville continued, "as much as is possible."

Harry took a deep breath as the carriage started moving. As he made himself comfortable, his mind was racing. He had to figure out how to tell his two friends the basics without revealing any of Draco's secrets. They did have a right to know what they'd helped do - who they'd help save - after all. They just didn't need to know everything. Not to mention he was not going to betray Draco just to ease their minds.

_So many secrets!_

With a nearly painful jolt, Harry was forcibly reminded of the one time he'd asked Dumbledore why he trusted Snape. He _really _didn't like the association, but couldn't help but make it. It did make him wonder just how much of Dumbledore's 'high-handedness' was actually him juggling secrets not his own.

x-x-x

The fire in his study flared suddenly, flashing green and startling Lucius from his thoughts. He was on his feet and striding closer before Severus' glowing face appeared in the green flames. He wasn't surprised at the identity of his caller. The only people who ever called via his private floo were Pettigrew and Severus, and neither ever had good news to pass on when they did so.

"Lucius?" Severus called.

"What is it?" he asked abruptly, wasting no time on the social niceties, as a nauseating sense of foreboding twisted his insides. What had Draco done now?

"Draco has been kidnaped," Severus replied flatly, his manner as abrupt as Lucius' own had been.

For a moment, Lucius forgot how to breathe.

_He knows!_ he thought, the beginnings of panic stirring in his gut as everything resembling logical thought flew from his mind. _The dark lord knows._

"Pull back," he snapped. "I'm coming through."

Severus nodded and did as ordered, clearing the floo.

"Explain," he demanded harshly, the moment he stepped out of Severus' floo, the panic now storming through him not allowing for even the semblance of civility. A tiny corner of his mind was grateful that Severus, of all people, would not be offended by his temporary lack of manners. This was not a time for manners.

"Sit," Severus told him shortly, only explaining the morning's events after he had complied.

There was absolutely no doubt in his mind now. The dark lord had obviously ordered his son kidnapped to ensure his continued loyalty. No one else would dare. This meant that he had obviously not perfected his occlumency skills quickly enough. He had let _something_ slip. Obviously not everything, or he would already be dead. That left him in something of a quandary. From the aforementioned occlumency lessons he'd been taking from Severus, he _suspected_ the other wizard was not as perfectly loyal as he portrayed - and of course, Severus knew the same about him. Neither had ever breathed a word of it - not even to each other outside the confines of occlumency - which meant that knowledge was fully protected by the vows they had both taken prior to beginning those lessons.

Did he dare push the issue?

He decided to risk it . . . at least a little. His son was worth it.

"How am I going to get him back safely?" he carefully muttered.

Severus snorted. "In order to answer that, I would first have to know who had him."

"The dark lord is the only one who would dare order such a thing," he replied casually, carefully watching the other wizard's reaction.

Severus actually appeared shocked a moment before he schooled his expression. "And just _what_ would lead you to such an absurd conclusion?"

"None of the other families would use that particular method to take Draco, no matter their personal agenda. You know that as well as I do. That method narrows down the list of suspects far too much for comfort."

"You are overlooking the fact that it could simply be a personal vendetta between Draco and another heir."

Lucius automatically shook his head. "No. Only the head rings allow the porting of more than one person, which eliminates the possibility of some personal teenage drama."

"Why would the dark lord do that?" Severus asked sharply. "You were intending on presenting Draco to be marked this holiday, were you not?"

"That _was_ the plan," Lucius agreed carefully, "not that I can prove that now."

Severus said nothing further, merely waited.

Lucius, torn, struggled to decide just what he was going to do. Frankly, he could think of only one person - other than Albus Dumbledore - who had gone up against the dark lord and come out still breathing, but he had not the first clue how to approach the brat.

"I suppose _Potter_ was gloating about his arch rival's disappearance," he sneered, uncertainty - not to mention fear for his son - making him . . . testy.

Severus didn't say anything immediately, just eyed him carefully. "Oddly enough," he finally drawled, "the Potter brat was furious that the headmaster wasn't doing more to find Draco."

Lucius' eyes widened. That was very interesting, indeed. Surprisingly, Severus continued.

"It seems like Potter has been more and more at odds with the old man this year," he offered.

Lucius nearly gasped. That was priceless information. That Severus was telling _him_ as opposed to going directly to the dark lord with it. . . . Come to think of it, the fact that both of them had been referring to _him_ as 'the dark lord' instead of 'our lord' was actually quite telling as well. "Teenage rebellion," Lucius said, to all appearances dismissing Severus' offering, hoping for more, detailed, information.

Severus shook his head. "No, I don't think that's all it is. There have been several instances of fighting between them. He is, at least, chafing at the bit of the old man's hold on him. He has certainly been far more . . . aggressive this year."

Shock rode through Lucius in a tidal wave, a horrifying thought occurring to him. "Potter is thinking of siding with the dark lord?!" he hissed.

Severus laughed. "Bloody hell, Lucius," he swore drily. "From Potter's point of view, the dark lord killed his parents and destroyed his life. That brat wouldn't side with the dark lord if they were the last two wizards in existence."

Thinking through what his friend had said, _and_ what he hadn't said, Lucius carefully worded his next question. "Do you think the boy will go so far as to split off from Dumbledore completely?" he asked. "Or, do you think it more likely they'll reconcile?" Now, the big question was, would Severus answer him truly, or would he even know the answer. It was no secret that the two didn't get along in the slightest. Did he know the boy well enough to know?

Severus leaned forward, eyes narrowing and glinting of steel. "Even if I _were_ to be privy to such . . . sensitive information, Lucius, why would I hang myself by giving that information to you instead of to the dark lord?"

Lucius sighed. Both of them had been dancing the knife's edge of treason with this discussion. So far, neither of them had said anything that couldn't be written off as testing the other's loyalties. They could both back off and they would be none the worse for wear. Unfortunately, _he_ was the one who sought information, which meant, if he wanted to get it, he was the one who would have to hang himself out to dry and _hope_ that his conclusions about Severus were correct. He certainly wouldn't reveal anything before then, if he were the one in Severus' position.

It would help, if he knew for sure the payoff would be worth the risk. While he knew his son had chosen to side with Harry Potter, he was - unfortunately - hampered by not knowing how far that association had progressed - if it had at all. Did the Potter boy even know what Draco had decided? And if so, would he care in the slightest? The two had been rivals since their first encounter. Of course, there was also the concern that Potter was very young. Would he actually be able to help at all? Would he be willing to try even if able? This was the moment. Did he want to do this? Sighing, not really seeing any choice, since the curse had already taken hold of him and he would have to approach the boy soon in any case, he swallowed hard. Taking a deep breath, before speaking the words that could seal his, and his son's, doom if Severus reported them back to the dark lord.

"I need to know whether or not reaching out to the boy will land me in the old man's sphere of influence or not. I'd really rather not have a damn thing to do with the old bastard."

Severus let out an explosive breath, the most obvious reaction the man had given during this entire conversation. Of course, Lucius could certainly understand it. If Severus was of a mind to do so, he could now utterly destroy him - and his family.

"If they managed to reconcile at all, I believe it would be more as peripheral allies, rather than Potter returning to be Dumbledore's boy." Severus visibly paused, looking to be weighing his words. "I'm not at liberty to reveal what events led up to the split, but I believe too much has happened for the two of them to ever return to even near the way it was. Potter will not blindly accept him as 'leader' any more."

Lucius nodded. That was good news. He could handle the occasional run in with the old man, but he _really_ didn't want to be under the command of someone who was under that man's control.

_Like you'd have a choice in the matter _should _that happen!_

He ignored the thought, refocusing his attention on his friend. "I want you to arrange a meeting with Harry Potter for me."

TBC  
Kiristeen ke Alaya  
Feedback: is the ink with which I write! 


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